Automatically operable orienting tool



. L. w. s ronm 2,632,630

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f a Z INVENTOR.

March 24, 1953 AUTOMATICALLY OPERABLE ORIEN TING TOOL Filed July 16,1949 FIG.

Patented Mar. 24, 1953 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATICALLYOPERABLE ORIENTING Lynn W. Storm, Houston, Tex.

Application July 16, 1949, Serial No. 105,131

12 Claims. 1 This invention relates to an automatically operableorienting tool.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool of the characterdescribed so designed that it will flected from the vertical asufiicient amount to make it necessary, or desirable, to straighten thebore, that is to cause it to assume, more nearly, a vertica1 position,and this work is carried on by means of any selected type of tool whichwill accomplish the intended purpose, but the tool so selected must beproperly set at the bottom of the bore so that the drilling tool usedfor straightening the bore will be properly oriented to accomplish thedesired purpose. The orienting tool herein described is of suchconstruction that when lowered into the bore hole to the well bottom itwill automatically assume the desired position without the necessity ofrunning a surveying tool through the pipe or orienting the pipe into thewell. I

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool of thecharacter described which includes a spherical momentum Weight which isa mounted to freely move to seek the low side of from the followingspecification, Which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the orienting device connected with adeflecting tool;

Figures 2 and 3 show upper and lower ends, respectively, of the tool, insection, and in extended position while hanging in the well off bottom;

Figures 4 and 5 show upper and lower ends of the tool, in verticalsection, and in position to 'drill or with the tool resting on thebottom of the bore;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure. 5;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 'l-lof Figure 5;and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numeralsof reference designate the same parts in each of the figures, there isan outer barrel which consistsof a top section I, an intermediatesection 2,..alower section 3,

2 and the upper clutch member 4. The parts of the outer barrel are,preferably, connected by threads.

There is an inner mandrel assembly extending axially through the outerbarrel and slidable and rotatable relative thereto. From abovedownwardly this inner mandrel assembly comprises a wash pipe 5, a camsection 6, a piston 1, a'lower mandrel 8, and a lower clutch member 9.The parts of the inner mandrel assembly may be united together in anypreferred manner, and the lower end of the clutch member 9 may bethreaded to receive any type of deflecting tool which may be suitablefor the purpose intended, a drilling tool I0 being shown.

The wash pipe 5 is fitted snugly through the lower end of the topsection I of the outer barrel, and the mandrel 8 is fitted snuglythrough the clutch member 4 of the outer barrel.

There is a compression spring I l in the top section l of the outerbarrel which rests on a thrust bearing l2 on the upper end of the washpipe, and the upper end of this spring ll abuts an inside, annular nut12a screwed into the upper end of said top section I Within the middlesection 2 of the outer barrel there is an annular clamping member in theform of a locking sleeve l3 that is spaced beneath the upper section I.Above said sleeve and within the middle section 2 of the outer barrelthere is a coil spring I4 which is supported on the inwardly turned,annular flange 15 of the locking sleeve l3 and whose upper end restsagainst the lower end of the section I of the outer barrel. This springl4 urges the locking sleeve downwardly.

The cam section 6, as will be noted, is of a greater transverse diameterthan that of the wash pipe, thus forming an external, upwardly facing,annular shoulder 16 at its upper end, which will contact the flange Hi.

The lower end face of the sleeve I3 is concaved, as at IT, on aspherical contour, which is of the same radius as the radius of anon-magnetic ball l8. As disclosed in Figure 5, this ball is in a freeposition. 1

There are a series of concaved pockets l9 which are spaced apart aboutthe upper end of the lower section 3 and which are designed to provide ameans for locking the ball IS.

The upper and lower ends of the inner assembly are sealed by thesurrounding seals 2|], 20, one located in the lower end of the uppersection I of the outer barrel and the other located in the clutch member4 thereof. Between said packing elements the orienting device ispreferably filled 'tion is established. :going' into the well, isextended, as shown in with a suitable fluid which damps, or retards, themovement of the ball and controls the speed of the extension of themandrel.

The middle and lower sections 2 and 3 of the outer barrel form acylinder 22 in which the piston 1 works.

The cam 6 terminates, at its lower end, in the point 2|,which isdownwardly directed, and this cam is provided with similar, opposed,spiralled faces as 21a, Zla, which merge at their upper ends forming apocket 23 directly opposite the point 2|.

In operation a deflecting tool such, for example, as a drilling tool Iis attached to the clutch member 9, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. In thepresent illustration the deflecting tool includes a whipstock, as 24,whose upper. end is pinned to the drill. This whipstock has the usualdeflecting face 25. The radial angular relation between the face of thedeflecting tool and the pointiflof the camis then measured, and saidtools,.after-being made up as stated, are lowered into the well to a fewfeet off bottom andcircula- The orienting tool, while Figures 1 and 3.After suificient circulation the 'tools are then lowered to bottom, andsufficient weight is applied to compress the spring II and cause thetool to'telescope to the position shown in Figures 4 and 5.

It will be noted that, while in the position above indicated, the ball(8 is free to roll to the low side of the top surface of the piston 1.

For illustration purposeslet it be assumed that the low side is at theleft, asshown,.and with the tool'fllled' with a liquid which is retainedby the packing, 20 the'motion of the ball will necessarily be, damped,but after a short time the ball will come torest and the toolsshouldthen be raised off of bottom for a short distance.

Upon lifting the tools off bottom; the combined effect of weight, pumpaction, and the spring H will operate'to extend the mandrel totheposition-shown in Figure 3, in which position the mandrel is fullyextended; and as this extension" occurs the piston I will movedownwardly 'into the cylinder 22 beneath, allowing the ball l8 to cometo rest in one of the pockets spaced I about the topofsection 3. As thepiston moves further 'down through the cylinder the sleeve l3 comes torest on the top of the ball and secures the ball inits place. The speedat which the piston and mandrel travel is controlled by the resistanceof the fluid escapement aroundthe piston.Asthisimovementprogresses-still further some part of the cam section 6.contacts the lockedball.

Further downward travel of piston 1 results in a rotation of the cam,the mandrel, and consequently the deflecting tool until the mandrel hasreached its maximum extension. This is accomplished-when the bottom of.the piston 7 contacts the upper end ofjthe clutch member 4, as showninFigureB,

At this point, as shown in Figure 3, the point 2| of the cam 6 has beenrotated to a position whichisin line with the direction of drift of thehigh side of the hole.

As alast step, it is only necessary to rotate the drill pipe at thesurface through the proper angle to face the deflecting tool in thedesired direction. The amount of rotation of the drill stem which isrequired depends upon the radial angu- "lar relationship, previouslymeasured, between the'face of'the deflecting tool and the point 2| ofthecam.

As an alternative procedure, and likely a pref erable procedure, theface of the deflecting tool could be pre-set relative to the cam so thatthis last operation, above referred to, of rotating the drill pipe wouldnot be necessary. In other words, the radial angular position of thedeflecting tool relative to the point 2| of the cam may be adjusted byshims such as those indicated at 9, between the lower clutch member 9,andthe drilling tool 10 so that the tool may be lowered directly to thebottom after the orienting cycle just described is completed.

When the tools are lowered to the bottom 'sufficient weight may then beapplied to seat the deflecting tool and compress spring I I and shearthe pinconnecting the whipstock 24 to the drilltool. IE], and the clutchmembers will become engaged automatically and drilling will proceed .inthe normal fashion.

What I claim is:

1. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel provided with insidepockets, an inner mandrel extending axially through the barrel andprovided with a piston which works in the barrel, a cam on the mandrelin longitudinally spaced relation to said piston and having a cammingsurface opposed to the pockets, a locking sleeve on the mandrel inlongitudinally spaced relation to the pockets and which is suspendedfrom the cam when the mandrel is moved in a direction to move the camaway from the pockets, a nonmagnetic ball in the barrel between thesleeve and the pockets and engageable with the piston, said ball beingfreely movable on the piston, when the piston is in a position betweenthe sleeve and the pockets, and said ball being positioned to enter apocket upon subsequent movement of the mandrel in the barrel in adirection to move the cam toward the pockets, yieldable means tending toforce said sleeve toward the pockets to clamp the ball in place saidcamming surface being engageable with the ball to actuate the cam andorient the mandrel upon further movement of the mandrel in a directionto move the cam toward the pockets.

2. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel provided with insidepockets, an inner mandrel extending axially through the barrel andprovided with a piston which works in the barrel, a cam on the mandrelin longitudinally spaced relation to the piston and movable with themandrel toward and away from the pockets, a locking sleeve on themandrel and which is supported by'the mandrelin longitudinally spacedrelation to the pockets when the mandrel is moved in a directionto movethecam awayfrom the pockets, 3, non-magnetic ball in the barrel betweenthe sleeve and the pockets, said piston having a supporting surfaceengageable with the ball to support the ball out of engagement with thesleeve and the pockets, when the piston is moved to a position betweenthe sleeve and the pockets, said ball being freely movable on saidsurface of the piston when out of engagement with the sleeve andpockets, said ball being positioned to enter a pocket upon subsequentmovement of the mandrel in the barrelin a direction to move the camtoward the pockets, yieldable means tending to force the sleeve towardthe pockets to clamp the ball in place so that said ball will coact withthe cam to actuate the cam and orient the mandrel upon further movementof the mandrel in a direction to move the cam toward the pockets.

3. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel provided with insidepockets, an inner mandrel extending axially through the barrel andprovided with a piston which works in the barrel, a cam on the mandrelin longitudinally spaced relation to the piston and movable with themandrel toward and away from the pockets, a locking sleeve on themandrel and which is supported by the mandrel in longitudinally spacedrelation to the pockets when the mandrel is moved in the barrel in adirection to move the cam away from the pockets, a non-magnetic ball inthe barrel between the sleeve and pockets and freely movable on thepiston, when the piston is in a position between the sleeve and pockets,said ball being positioned to enter a pocket upon subsequent movement ofthe mandrel in the barrel in a direction to move the cam toward thepockets, yieldable means tending to force the sleeve toward the pocketsagainst the ball to clamp the ball in place said cam being cooperablewith the ball when the ball is clamped in place to actuate the cam andorient the mandrel upon further movement of the mandrel in a directionto move the cam toward the pockets, seals between the mandrel andbarrel, at opposite ends of the barrel, and liquid filling the toolbetween said seals.

4. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel provided with an insideball support, an'inner mandrel extending axially through the barrel andprovided with a piston which works in the barrel, a cam on the mandrelin longitudinally spaced relation to the piston and having a cammingsurface opposed to said support, a locking sleeve on the mandrel andwhich is supported by the mandrel in longitudinally spaced relation tothe support when the mandrel is moved in a direction to move the camaway from the support,

a non-:magnetic ball between the sleeve and the support and freelymovable on thepiston, when the piston is moved to a position between thesleeve and the support, and positioned to land on said support uponsubsequent movement of the mandrel in the barrel in a direction to movethe cam toward the support, yieldable means tending to force the sleevedownwardly to clamp the ball in place on said support, said ball beingengageable with said camming surface whereby the ball will actuate thecam and orient the mandrel upon further movement of the mandrel in adirection to move the cam toward the support.

5. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel provided 'With aninside ball support, an inner mandrel extending axially through thebarrel and provided with a piston which works in the barrel, a cam onthe mandrel in longitudinally spaced relation to the piston and movabletoward and away from the support, said cam having a camming surfacedisposed in opposing relation to the support, a locking sleeve on themandrel in longitudinally spaced relation to the piston and movable withthe mandrel toward and away from the support and which is supported bythe mandrel in longitudinal spaced relation to the support when themandrel is moved in a direction to move the cam away from the support, anon-magnetic ball in the barrel between the sleeve and the support andfreely movable on the piston, when the piston is in a position betweenthe sleeve and the support, said ball being positioned to land on saidsupport upon subsequent movement of the mandrel in the barrel in adirection to move the cam toward the support, yieldable means betweenthe barrel and sleeve tending to force the sleeve toward the support toclamp the ball in place on said support, said ball being engageable withthe camming surface whereby the ball will actuate the cam andorient themandrel upon further movement of the mandrel in a direction to move thecam toward the support, seals at opposite ends of the barrel between themandrel and barrel, and liquid filling the tool between said seals.

6. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel provided with an insidesupport, an inner mandrel extending axially through the barrel andprovided with a, laterally extending annular surface, a cam on themandrel in longitudinally spaced relation to said annular surface andhaving a camming surface opposed to said support, a locking sleeve onthe mandrel in longitudinally spaced relation to said annular surfaceand means on the mandrel for supporting said sleeve in longitudinallyspaced relation to said support when the mandrel is moved in a directionto move the cam away from the support, a ball in the barrel between thesleeve and support and freely movable on said annular surface, when saidannular surface is moved with the mandrel to engage the ball and movethe ball away from said support, said ball being positioned to land onsaid support upon subsequent movement of the mandrel in the barrel in adirection to move the cam toward the support, said ball being engageablewith said camming surface, yieldable means acting against the sleeve toforce the sleeve toward the support to clamp the ball in place on saidsupport to position the ball to operatively engage the cam and orientthe mandrel upon further movement of the mandrel in a direction to movethe cam toward said support,

7. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel provided with an insidesupport, an inner mandrel extending axially through the barrel andprovided with a laterally extending annular surface, a cam on themandrel in longitudinally spaced relation to said annular surface andhaving a camming face opposed to said support, a locking sleeve on themandrel in longitudinally spaced relation to said annular surface andmeans on the mandrel for supporting said sleeve in longitudinally spacedrelation to said support when the mandrel is moved in a direction tomove the cam away from said support, a ball in the barrel between thesleeve and support and freely movable on said surface, when the mandrelis moved in a direction to move the sleeve and annular surface away fromthe support, said ball being positioned to land on said support uponsubsequent movement of the mandrel in the barrel in a direction to movethe cam toward the support, said ball being engageable with said cammingface, yieldable means between the barrel and sleeve tending to force thesleeve toward the support to clamp the ball in place on the support toposition the ball to operatively engage the cam and rotate the mandrelupon further movement of the mandrel in a direction to move the camtoward the support, a deflecting tool on the mandrel which is orientedupon said rotation of the mandrel.

8. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel provided with an insidesupport, an inner mandrel extending axially through the barrel andprovided with a laterally extended annular surface, a cam on the mandrelin spaced relation to said annular surface and having a camming faceopposed to said support, a locking sleeve on the mandrel in spacedrelation to said annular surface and means on the mandrel for supportingsaid sleeve in spaced relation to the support fwhen'the mandrel is movedin a-direction to move the cam away from the support, a ball inthe-barrel freely movable on saidannular surface, when said surface isin a position between the sleeve and the support, said ball beingpositioned to land on said support upon subsequent movement of themandrel in the barrel in a direction to move the cam toward the support,said ball being engageable with said camming face, yield- 'rel having aninside annular support, an inner mandrel within the barrel and providedwith a cam, a ball associated with the barrel and mandrel and free tomove by gravity on the support,

means for locking the ball stationary on the support in position toco-act with the cam, upon movement of the mandrel longitudinally, tocause rotation of the mandrel and orientation of a deflecting toolcarried thereby.

10. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel having an insideannular support, an inner mandrel within the barrel and provided with acam, a ball associated with the barrel and mandrel and free to move onthe support, means for locking the ball stationary on the support inposition to co-act with thecam, upon movement of the mandrellongitudinally, to cause rotation of the mandrel and orientation of adeflecting tool carried thereby and yieldable means cooperable with thebarrel and mandrel and normally tending to cause such longitudinalmovement of the mandrel.

11. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel having an insideannular ball support, an

inner mandrel axially movable in'the barrel, an annular membersurrounding the mandrel in the barrel and axially movable therein,toward and away from the support, a non-magnetic ball in the barrelbetween the support and member, yieldable means acting against themember to force "the member toward the support to hold the ball againstmovement on the support, means on the mandrel cooperable with the memberupon movement of the mandrel in one direction to move the memberaway'from the support to release the ball, and a cam on the mandrelcooperable with the ball upon movement of the mandrel in the otherdirection to actuate the cam and orient the mandrel.

12. An orienting tool comprising, an outer barrel having aninsideannular ball support, means connecting the barrel to a string ofdrill pipe, an inner mandrel axially movable in the barrel, an annularmember surrounding the mandrel in the barrel and axially movable thereintoward and away from the support, a non-magnetic ball in the barrelbetween the support and member, yieldable means acting against themember to force the member toward the support to hold the ball againstmovement on the support, means'on the mandrel cooperable with the memberupon movement of the mandrel in one direction to move the member awayfrom the support to release the ball, said mandrel beingv moveable inthe other direction by the pressure of fluid from above in said drillpipe, and a cam on the mandrel cooperable with the ball upon movement ofthe mandrel in said other direction to actuate the cam and orient themandrel.

LYNN W. STORM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 40 fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

